New Group (Japanese Film)
New Group (Japanese: NEW GROUP, Romaji: NEW GROUP) is a Japanese feature film scheduled for release on June 12, 2026. The film is directed by Yuta Shimotsu, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Momoko Sahara. It stars Anna Yamada and Yuzu Aoki in leading roles, with distribution handled by Kadokawa Pictures.
Production and Release
The film was directed by Yuta Shimotsu from a script developed jointly by Shimotsu and Momoko Sahara. Production duties were managed by Go Kobayashi and Shinya Himeda, with Toru Nishioka serving as the cinematographer. The film has a running time of 82 minutes and is produced in the Japanese language within Japan. Kadokawa Pictures is the official distributor for the theatrical release on June 12, 2026.
Plot Summary
The narrative centers on Ai, portrayed by Anna Yamada, a shy high school student dealing with personal family difficulties. Her routine is disrupted by the arrival of a transfer student named Yuu, played by Yuzu Aoki, who has recently returned to Japan after living abroad. Yuu struggles to adapt to the strict expectations of collective behavior enforced by the school environment. While Ai finds herself drawn to Yuu, he is frustrated by her reluctance to voice her thoughts clearly.
The central premise shifts when a student suddenly kneels on all fours in the schoolyard and refuses to move. As teachers and peers attempt to intervene without success, other students begin arranging themselves into a pyramid shape around the motionless individual. The school administration eventually encourages this bizarre structural phenomenon, marking the inception of a widespread occurrence that affects the broader community.
Cast and Characters
The primary cast features the following actors and roles:
- Anna Yamada as Ai
- Yuzu Aoki as Yuu
- Pierre Taki as the principal
- Ren Komai in an unspecified supporting role
- Tomomitsu Adachi in an unspecified supporting role
